冰盖 (bīng gài) — ice sheet (a large, thick layer of ice covering a landmass, e.g., Antarctica or Greenland)

Definition

noun
ice sheet (a large, thick layer of ice covering a landmass, e.g., Antarctica or Greenland)
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 冰盖。
    Nán jí bīng gài de miàn jī zhèng zài suō xiǎo.
    The area of the Antarctic ice sheet is shrinking.
  • 冰盖。
    Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū bīng gài duì qì hòu de yǐng xiǎng.
    Scientists are studying the impact of ice sheets on climate.
  • 冰盖。
    Gé líng lán bīng gài de róng huà sù dù bǐ yù qī kuài.
    The melting rate of the Greenland ice sheet is faster than expected.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

冰bīngice
盖gàicover

冰 (ice) forms a 盖 (cover), describing a broad sheet of ice.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
冫
仌bīng冰bīng
Same sound today

冰 adds 水 (water) to 冫, the short form of 仌; 冫 gives the sound, and 水 shows the meaning.

Open 冰 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 蓋; 盖 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé蓋gài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 蓋 pairs 艸, grass, with 盍 for sound. It was a thatch, and it took on cover meanings after 盍 was borrowed for “why not”.

Open 盖 →

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